Strawberry plant Saaid

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct variety of strawberry (Fragaria L.) called &#34;Saaid&#34; is disclosed. The variety is a cross between &#34;Rachel&#34; and &#34;Douglas&#34;, which results in a variety that flowers several months earlier than other known strawberry varieties.

This is a continuation of application Ser. No. 07/491,758 filed Mar. 6,1990, now abandoned.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct variety ofstrawberry (Fragaria L.) called "Saaid". The variety was developed froman organized scientifically designated breeding program carried out atthe Agricultural Research Organization, the Volcani Center, Bet Dagan,Israel. The variety is the product of selection of seedlings resultingfrom crosses between the strawberry varieties "Rachel" and "Douglas".The variety was asexually vegetatively propagated through runners andthe reproduction ran true.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The new variety "Saaid" resembles the variety "Douglas" and is able togrow in September and produce fruit starting in early December andlasting until summer. The production of fruit beginning in earlyDecember is two months earlier than any known variety of Fragaria L. Thefruit of the "Saaid" variety is characterized by good taste, good shapeand size as well as a long shelf life.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

FIG. 1. Photograph of the "Saaid" variety illustrating the foliage andfruit.

FIG. 2. Photograph of the "Saaid" variety illustrating the fruit.

FIG. 3. Photograph of the "Saaid" variety illustrating the entire plantwith both flowers and fruit.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The "Saaid" variety was grown in winter under polyethylene tunnels inIsreal. "Saaid" is a short day variety that flowers earlier than otherknown and available short day length strawberry varieties. Flowering andfruit production is not affected by the use of polyethylene windtunnels. This production procedure is utilized in normal agriculturalpractices by the skilled artisan and does not involve temperature orlight control. Mother plants were stored at 0° C. from January throughApril. They were then planted in the nursery without further treatment.Runners with plantlets were produced during summer. These youngplantlets were collected from the nursery in September and transferredto raised beds. Average temperatures at that time of the year are 30° C.during the day and 22° C. at night. Water and fertilizers were appliedthrough drip irrigation. An exaple of an optimum planting date isbetween September 20th to the 25th with the approximate date offlowering on November 4, and the approximate date of first fruiting onDecember 4. "Saaid" flowering is not induced by chilling, but by naturalexposure to short day length (long nights) characteristic of late falland early winter. Color readings described herein were taken undernatural light conditions and color identifications were made byreference to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart (R.H.S.C.C.)except where common terms of color definition are employed.

The pertinent characteristics of the present invention are presented inTable 1 and Table 2. Additionally, the variety "Saaid" (1) has notendency toward fruit malformation; (2) disease resistance appearsnormal in that no particular problematic conditions arose during trials;and (3) the type of bearing is not remontant (e.g., "Saaid" bloomsperpetuously, during late fall and winter).

The fruit is longer than broad, with primary, secondary and tertiaryfruit of moderately distinct shape (Table 2). The fruit is firm with ared color (Table 2).

The variety "Saaid" flowers several months earlier than known strawberryvarieties. One of the closest known varieties would be "Karina"(Table 1) as well as the new varieties under co-pending U.S. patentapplication Ser. Nos. 07/735,969 ("Sharon"), 07/735,695 ("Shalom"),07/735,967 ("Smadar"), and 07/735,968 ("Dorit"). Additionally, earlyflowering results in early fruit production for "Saaid" and the fourco-pending varieties (Table 3). Total Soluble Solids (TSS), percentacidity and aroma are presented in Table 4 by comparison to thevarieties listed in Table 3.

                  TABLE 1                                                         ______________________________________                                        PLANT CHARACTERISTICS OF "SAAID"                                              MORPHOLOGICAL              COMPARABLE                                         TRAIT        DESCRIPTION.sup.a                                                                           VARIETY.sup.b                                      ______________________________________                                        Classification                                                                             Botanical-                                                                    Fragaria L.                                                      Plant habit  Globose       "Gorella"                                          Plant density                                                                              Dense         "Talisman"                                         Plant vigor  Strong        "Grande"                                           Leaf:                                                                         a) Length    17-18 cm                                                         b) Width     11-14 cm                                                         c) Color     Green Group 146 A                                                             (RHSCC)                                                          1) Upper Side:                                                                             Dark Green                                                       d) Blistering                                                                              Weak                                                             e) Cross-section                                                                           Concave                                                          f) # of leaflets                                                                           Three only                                                       Terminal leaflet                                                              a) Length/Width                                                               ratio        Longer than broad                                                b) Shape of base                                                                           Acute                                                            c) Shape of teeth                                                                          Rounded                                                          d) Length    7-8 cm                                                           e) Width     5-6 cm                                                           Flower                                                                        a) Size      Medium        "Gorella"                                          b) Size of calyx to                                                                        Same Size                                                        corolla                                                                       c) Size of inner calyx                                                                     Same Size                                                        versus outer calyx                                                            d) Spacing of petals                                                                       Overlapping                                                      e) Petal length/width                                                                      As load as broad                                                 f) Time of flowering                                                                       Early to Medium                                                                             "Karina".sup.c                                     Stolon                                                                        a) Number    Medium        "Gorella"                                          b) Thickness Medium                                                           c) Pubescence                                                                              Weak                                                             d) Anthocyanin                                                                             Strong                                                           coloration                                                                    Petiole                                                                       a) Pose of hairs                                                                           Outwards                                                         b) Length    10-12 cm                                                         Inflorescence                                                                 a) Position relative                                                                       Level                                                            to foliage                                                                    ______________________________________                                         .sup.a The description of "Saaid" is based on the test guidelines for         Fragaria L. of the International Union for the Protection of New Plant        Varieties, (UPOV).                                                            .sup.b Only characteristics which are relevant for comparing varieties ar     listed.                                                                       .sup.c "Saaid" flowers at the beginning of November. One of the earliest      known varieties for comparison is "Karina", which flowers in January.    

                  TABLE 2                                                         ______________________________________                                        FRUIT CHARACTERISTICS OF "SAAID"                                              CHARACTERISTIC       DESCRIPTION                                              ______________________________________                                        Time of ripening     early                                                    Ratio of length/maximum width                                                                      longer than broad                                        Primary Fruit.sup.a  Bi-conical                                               Length               43-50 mm                                                 Width                30-36 mm                                                 Secondary Fruit      Bi-conical                                               Length               33-37 mm                                                 Width                27-32 mm                                                 Tertiary Fruit       Conical                                                  length               28-30 mm                                                 width                25-26 mm                                                 Size                 Large                                                    Brand without achenes                                                                              Narrow                                                   Unevenness of surface                                                                              Weak                                                     Color                Red                                                      Evenness of color    Even                                                     Glossiness           Strong                                                   Insertion of achenes Level with surface                                       Insertion of calyx   Level with surface                                       Pose of calyx segments                                                                             Reflexed                                                 Size of calyx in relation                                                                          Larger                                                   to fruit diameter                                                             Adherance of calyx   Strong                                                   Firmness             Firm                                                     Color of Flesh       Medium Red                                               Evenness of flesh color                                                                            Uneven                                                   Sweetness.sup.b      Strong                                                   Color                42BC circa (RHSCC)                                       Taste.sup.b          Good                                                     ______________________________________                                         .sup.a There is a marked difference between the shape of the primary,         secondary and tertiary fruit.                                                 .sup.b See Table 4.                                                      

                  TABLE 3                                                         ______________________________________                                        COMPARATIVE YIELD OF "SAAID".sup.a                                                   Nov. Dec.     Jan.   Feb.   Mar. Apr.                                  ______________________________________                                        Saaid     0     70       100  100    100  100                                 Sharon.sup.b                                                                           40     60        80   80     80   80                                 Shalom.sup.c                                                                           50     70        80  100    100   70                                 Smadar.sup.d                                                                           50     70       100  100    100   50                                 Dorit.sup.e                                                                            30     70       100  100    100  100                                 Douglas.sup.f                                                                           0      0        40  150    150  150                                 Chandler.sup.g                                                                          0      0        30  150    150  120                                 ______________________________________                                         .sup.a Average yield in g/m.sup.2 in Ramat Hadar, Israel (1989-90). The       time of ripening for "Saaid" fruit is early to medium.                        .sup.b U.S. Application Ser. No. 07/735,969. The time of ripening for         "Sharon" fruit is very early.                                                 .sup.c U.S. Application Ser. No. 07/735,695. The time of ripening for         "Shalom" fruit is early.                                                      .sup.d U.S. Application Ser. No. 07/735,967. The time of ripening for         "Smadar" fruit is very early to early.                                        .sup.e U.S. Application Ser. No. 07/735,968. The time of ripening for         "Dorit" fruit is early.                                                       .sup.f U.S. Plant Pat. No. 4,487. The time of ripening for "Douglas" frui     is late.                                                                      .sup.g U.S. Plant Pat. No. 5,262. The time of ripening for "Chandler"         fruit is late.                                                           

                  TABLE 4                                                         ______________________________________                                        COMPARATIVE FRUIT CHARACTERISTICS OF "SAAID"                                          T.S.S..sup.a                                                                          Acidity.sup.b                                                         in %    in %     Aroma     Taste                                      ______________________________________                                        Saaid     8.0-9.0   1.0      3       Normal                                   Sharon.sup.c                                                                            6.5-7.0   1.0      3       Slightly                                                                      Acidic                                   Shalom.sup.d                                                                            8.0-9.0   1.0      4       Normal                                   Smadar.sup.e                                                                            8.5-9.5   1.0      5       Good                                     Dorit.sup.f                                                                             8.5-9.5   1.0      5       Good                                     Douglas.sup.g                                                                           6.5-7.0   0.8      3       Slightly                                                                      Acidic                                   Chandler.sup.h                                                                          6.5-7.0   0.8      3       Slightly                                                                      Acidic                                   ______________________________________                                         .sup.a Total Soluble Solids expresses fruit sweetness and was determined      with a refractometer.                                                         .sup.b Percent of acidity was determined as follows: 2 cc of juice extrac     was mixed with 20 cc of water. Five drops of fenolfthaleinen was added an     the mixture was titrated with NaOH. The percent acidity is calculated as      the quantity of NaOH (cc) × 0.32.                                       .sup.c U.S. Application Ser. No. 07/735,969.                                  .sup.d U.S. Application Ser. No. 07/735,695.                                  .sup.e U.S. Application Ser. No. 07/735,967.                                  .sup.f U.S. Application Ser. No. 07/735,968.                                  .sup.g U.S. Plant Pat. No. 4,487.                                             .sup.h U.S. Plant Pat. No. 5,262.                                        

What is claimed is:
 1. A new distinct variety of strawberry substantially as illustrated and described and distinguished as being able to grow in September and produce fruit starting in early December and lasting until summer, with fruit having a good taste and shape and a long shelf life. 